The family of a young mother who fell ill while in police custody and later died have revealed she died of a rare infection.

Lora Snelgrove, 25, had been arrested and taken to Medway police station where she became unwell.

Officers took her to Medway Maritime Hospital, but she died there four days later.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has now completed an investigation into the contact between Miss Snelgrove and the police before her death.

Her mother Yvonne Snelgrove said this week she had been told her daughter’s death was down to the rare infection which attacked her bowel and led to her contracting blood poisoning.

But, almost one year on, she is still waiting to hear if an inquest will take place and to be given a proper death certificate.

Miss Snelgrove, from Chatham, was arrested on suspicion of theft on August 22 last year.

"I want to know how she got this infection and why it was not picked up by the hospital she was in about two weeks before she died..." - Mrs Snelgrove

The mum of one was homeless at the time. She had previous convictions for various offences and had in her teenage years, started taking drugs.

She had been weaning herself off the substances and had travelled to Wales to go into rehab, but became ill while there and was taken to hospital where she was told she had a heart abnormality and came back to Medway.

Her mum said: “I want to know how she got this infection and why it was not picked up by the hospital she was in about two weeks before she died.

“I've been told it had nothing to do with her lifestyle and could have happened to anyone from any walk of life.

Mrs Snelgove also said IPCC investigators had found the police had not done anything to contribute to her death.

She added: “The police were not at fault.

“They (the IPCC), did write to Kent Police saying it should change some of its procedures, about four things they said they wanted changed.

“However, these were minor points, like an officer not signing a piece of paper for Lora’s belongings, so they did nothing that contributed to her death.”

This week a spokeswoman for the IPCC added: “The report has been signed off and is with the force [Kent police], the family and the coroner.

“We are awaiting a date for an inquest into her death.”

Mrs Snelgrove added: “It will be a year next month and I still have not been able to register her death properly and I have not got a proper death certificate, it’s taking too long.

“I am still waiting to here when or if she will have an inquest. The coroner’s officer said it was 50/50 one would go ahead.

“We’ve had a funeral for her and she is now at Medway Crematorium and we go there to remember her on special occasions. Miss Snelgrove would have been 26 on July 5.

“We, the family, had a little dinner for her at home and we told her son, Jayden, she was in heaven with her nanny,” said Mrs Snelgrove.

A spokesman for police added: "Kent Police has acknowledged the recommendations put forward by the IPCC and has responded."

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